another Parish-Church they shall be forced notwithstanding of any Dispensations or Unions that may have been granted them for term of Life to resign within the space of Six Months all that they do now hold except one Cathedral or one Parochial Church otherwise all their Benefices whether Parochial or others shall be by Law esteemed void and as such they shall be disposed of to others Nor may those who â—ormerly enjoyed them receive the mean Profits after the term of Six Months with a good Conscience But the Synod wishes that some due Provisâ—on might be made such as the Pope shall think fit for the necessities of those who are hereby obliged to Resign These were the decrees that were made by that pretended general Council And wheresoever that Council is received they are so seldom dispensed with that the Scandal of Non-Residence or Plurality does no more cry in that Church In France tho that Council is not there received yet such regard is had to Primitive Rules that it is not heard of among them Such Examples are to us Reproaches indeed And that of the worst sort when the Argument from the neglect of the Pastoral Care which gave so great an Advantage at first to the Reformers and turned the Hearts of the World so much from their Careless Pastors to those who shewed more Zeal and Concern for them is now against us and lies the other way If the Nature of Man is so made that it is not possible but that Offences must come yet woe be to him by whom they come CHAP. VI. Of the declared Sense and Rules of the Church of England in this matter WHatsoever may be the practice of any among us and whatsoever may be the force of some Laws that were made in bad times and perhaps upon bad ends yet we are sure the Sense of our Church is very different She intended to raise the obligation of the Pastoral Care higher than it was before and has laid out this matter more fully and more strictly than any Church ever did in any Age as far at least as my Enquiries can carry me The truest Indication of the Sense of a Church is to be taken from her Language in her Publick Offices This is that which she speaks the most frequently and the most publickly even the Articles of Doctrine are not so much read and so often heard as her Liturgies are and as this way of Reasoning has been of late made use of with great advantage against the Church of Rome to make her accountable for all her Publick Offices in their plain and literal meaning so I will make use of it on this occasion It is the stronger in our case whose Offices being in a Tongue understood by the people the Argument from them does more evidently conclude here In general then this is to be observed that no Church before ours at the Reformation took a formal Sponsion at the Altar from such as were ordained Deacons and Priests That was indeed always demanded of Bishops but neither in the Roman nor Greek Pontifical do we find any such solemn Vows and Promises demanded or made by Priests or Deacons nor does any print of this appear in the Constitutions the pretended Areopagite or the antient Canons of the Church Bishops were asked many questions as appears by the first Canon of the fourth Council of Carthage They were required to profess their Faith and to promise to obey the Canons which is still observed in the Greek Church The questions are more express in the Roman Pontifical and the first of these demands a promise that they will instruct their people in the Christian Doctrine according to the Holy Scriptures which was the Foundation upon which our Bishops justified the Reformation Since the first and chief of all their Vowes binding them to this it was to take place of all others and if any other parts of those Sponsions contradicted this such as their Obedience and Adherence to the See of Rome they said that these were to be limited by this All the account I can give of this general practice of the Church in demanding Promises only of Bishops and not of the other Orders is this that they considered the Government of the Priests and Deacons as a thing that was so entirely in the Bishop as it was indeed by the first Constitution that it was not thought necessary to bind them to their Duty by any Publick Vowes or Promises though it is very probable that the Bishops might take private engagements of them before they ordained them it being in the Bishop's power to Restrain and Censure them in a very Absolute and Summary way But the case was quite different in Bishops who were all equal by their Rank and Order None having any Authority over them by any Divine Law or the Rules of the Gospel the power of Primates and Metropolitans having arisen out of Ecclesiastical and Civil Laws and not being equally great in all Countries and Provinces and therefore it was more necessary to proceed with greater caution and to demand a further security fâ—â—m them But the new face of the Constitution of the Church by which Priests were not under so absolute a subjection to their Bishops as they had been at first which was occasioned partly by the Tyranny of some Bishops to which bounds were set by Laws and Canons partly by their having a special Propety and Benefice of their own and so not being maintained by a Dividend out of the common-stock of the Church as at first had so altered the state of things that indeed no part of the Episcopacy was left entrirely in the Bishop's hands but the power of Ordination This is still free and unrestrained no Writs nor Prohibitions from Civil Courts and no Appeals have clogged or fettered this as they have done all the other parts of their Authority Therefore our Reformers observing all Office of Ordination and they made both the Charge that is given and the Promises that are to be taken to be very express and solemne that so both the Ordainers and the Ordained might be rightly instructed in their Duty and struck with the awe and dread that they ought to be under in so holy and so important a performance and though all mankind does easily enough agree in this That Promises ought to be Religiously observed which men make to one another how apt soever they may be to break them yet to make the sense of these Promises go deeper they are ordered to be made at the Altar and in the nature of a Stipulation or Covenant the Church conferring Orders or indeed rather Christ by the Mininestry of the Officers that he has constituted conferring them upon those Promises that are first made The Forms of Ordination in the Greek Church which we have reason to believe are less changed and more conform to the Primitive pattenrs than those used by the Latins do plainly import that the Church only declared
the question that he asked preparatory to it was Simon lovest thou me more than these from which they justly gather that the Love of God a Zeal for his Honour and a preferring of that to all other things whatsoever is a necessary and indispensible qualification for that Holy Imployment which distinguishes the true Shepherd from the Hireling and by which only he can be both animated and fortified to go through with the labours and difficulties as well as the dangers and sufferings which may accompany it When St. Paul was leaving his last charge with the Bishops that met him at Ephesus he still makes use of the same Metaphor of Shepherd in those often cited words Take heed to your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood The words are solemn and the consideration enforcing them is a mighty one they import the Obligations of the Clergy both to an exactness in their own Deportment and to earnest and constant labours in imitation of the Apostle who during the three Years of his stay among them had been serving God with all humility of mind with many tears and temptations and had not ceased to warn every one both night and day with tears and had taught them both publickly and from House to House Upon which he leaves them calling them all to witness that he was pure from the Blood of all Men. There has been great disputing concerning the Persons to whom these words were addressed but if all Parties had studied more to follow the Example here proposed and the Charge that is here given which are plain and easie to be understood then to be contending about things that are more doubtful the good Lives and the faithful Labours of Apostolical Bishops would have contributed more both to the edifying and healing of the Church than all their Arguments or Reasonings will ever be able to do St. Paul reckoning up to the Romans the sâ—veral Obligations of Christians of all ranks to assiduity and diligence in their callings and labours among others he numbers these Ministers let us wait on our ministring or he that teacheth on teaching he that ruleth with diligence In his Epistle to the Corinthians as he states the Dignity of the Clergy in this that they ought to be accounted of as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God He adds that it is required in Stewards that a Man be found faithful In that Epistle he sets down that perpetual Law which is the Foundation of all the Provision that has been made for the Clergy That the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel But if upon that the Laity have looked on themsâ—lves as bound to appoint so plentiful a Supply that the Clergy might have whereon to live at their ease and in abundance then certainly this was intended that they being freed from the troubles and cares of this World might attend continually on the Ministry of the Word of God and on Prayer Those who do that Work negligently provoke the Laity to repent of their bounty and to defraud them of it For certainly there are no such Enemies to the Patrimony and Rights of the Church as those who eat the Fat but do not preach the Gospel nor feed the Flock Happy on the â—ther hand are they to whom that Character which the Apostle assumes to himself and to Timothy does belong Therefore seeing we have received this ministry as we have received mercy we faint not but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every man's Conscience in the sight of God In the Epistle to the Ephesians we have the ends of the Institution of all the Ranks of Clergy-men set forth in these words He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for tâ—e Work of the Ministry for the edifying the Body of Christ till we all come iâ— the Vnity of the Faith and of the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. In these words we see something that is so vast and noble so far above those slight and poor performances in which the far greater part do too easily satisfie themselves that in charity to them we ought to suppose that they have not reflected sufficiently on the Importance of them Otherwise they would have in some sort proportioned their labours to those great designs for which they are ordained and would remember the Charge given to the Colossians to say to Archippus who it seems was remiss in the discharge of his duty Take heed to the Ministry which thou hast received in the Lord that thou fullfil it The Epistles to Timothy and Titus are the Foundation of all the Canons of the Church in these we have the Characters of Bishops and Deacons as well as the duties belonging to those Functions so particularly set forth that from theâ—ce alone every one who will weigh them well may find sufficient Instruction how he ought to behave himself in the House of God In these we see what patterns those of the Clergy ought to be in Word or Doctrine in Conversation in Charity in Spirit in Faith and in Purity they ought to give attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine that is both to the instructing and exhorting of their People They ought not to neglect that gift that was given to them by the laying on of hands they ought to meditate on these things to give themselves wholly to them that so their profiting may appear unto all and to take heed to themselves and their Doctrine and to continue in them for in so doing they shall both save themselves and those that hear them Those that govern the Church are more particularly charged before God the Lord Iesus and the Holy Angels that they observe these things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiâ—lity by Domestick regards the considerations of Friendship Intercession or Importunity and above all that they lay hand suddenly on no man to which are added words of great terror neither be thou partaker of other mens sins keep thy self pure Which ought to make great Impression on all those with whom the Power of Ordination is lodged since they do plainly import that such as do ordain any rashly without due enquiry and a strict examination entitle themselves to all the scandal they give and become partners of their guilt which if well considered must needs make all such as are not past feeling use great care and caution in this sacred Trust. Bishops are the Depositaries of the Faith which
shall be committed to their Charge These are the Vows and Promises that Priests make before they can be Ordained And to compleat the Stipulation the Bishop concludes it with a Prayer to God who has given them the will to do all these things to give them also strength and power to perform the same that he may accomplish his Work which he hath begun in them until the time that he shall come at the latter day to judge the quick and the dead Upon the whole matter either this is all a piece of gross and impudent Pageantry dressed up in grave and lofty Expressions to strike upon the weaker part of Mankind and to furnish the rest with matter to their profane and impious Scorn or it must be confessed that Priests come under the most formal and express Engagements to constant and diligent labour that can be possibly contrived or set forth in Words It is upon this that they are Ordained So their Ordination being the consummation of this compact it must be acknowledged that according to the nature of all mutual compacts a total failure on the one side does also dissolve all the Obligation that lay on the other And therefore those who do not perform their part that do not Reside and Labour they do also in the sight of God forfeit all the Authority and Privileges that do follow their Orders as much as a Christian at large that does not perform his Baptismal Vow forfeits the Rights and Benefits of his Baptism in the sight of God tho both in the one and in the other it is necessary that for the preventing of disorder and confusion a Sentence Declaratory of Excommunication in the one as of Degradation in the other pass before the Visible Acts and Rights pursuant to those Rites can be denied To all this I will add one thing more which is that since our Book of Ordination is a part of our Liturgy and likewise a part of the Law of the Land and since constant Attendance and diligent Labour is made necessary by it and since this Law is subsequent to the Act of the 21 st of Henry the 8 th that qualifies so many for Pluralities and Non-Residence and is in plain Terms contrary to it this as subsequent does repeal all that it contradicts It is upon all this a matter that to me seems plain that by this Law the other is Repealed in so far as it is inconsistent with it This Argument is by this Consideration made the stronger that the Act of King Henry does not enact that such things shall be but only reserves privildeges for such as may be capable of an Exemption from the common and general rules Now by the Principles of Law all Priviledges or Exemptions of that sort are odious things and the Constructions of Law lying hard and heavy against odious Cases it appears to me according to the general grounds of Law very probable I speak within bounds when I say only probable that the Act of Uniformity which makes the Offices of Ordination a part of the Law of England is a Repeal of that part of the Act of King Henry which qualifies for Pluralities To conclude Whatsoever may be the strength of this Plea in Bar to that Act if our Faith given to God and his Church in the most express and plainest words possible does bind if Promises given at the Altar do oblige and if a Stipulation in the consideration of which Orders are given is sacred and of an indispensible obligation then I am sure this is To make the whole matter yet the stronger this Office is to be compleated with a Communion So that upon this occasion that is not only a piece of Religious Devotion accompanying it but it is the taking the Sacrament upon the Stipulation that has been made between the Priest and the Church So that those who have framed this Office have certainly intended by all the ways that they could think on and by the weightiest words they could choose to make the sense of the Priestly Function and of the Duties belonging to it give deep and strong impressions to such as are Ordained I have compared with it all the Exhortations that are in all the Offices I could find Ancient and Modern whether of the Greek or the Latin Church and this must be said of Ours without any sort of partiality to our own Forms that no sort of comparison can be made between Ours and all the others and that as much as ours is more simple than those as to its Rites and Ceremonies which swell up other Offices so much is it more grave and weighty in the Exhortations Collects and Sponsions that are made in it In the Roman Pontifical no promises are demanded of Priests but only that of Obedience Bishops in a corrupted state of the Church taking care only of their own Authority while they neglected more important obligations In the Office of Consecrating Bishops as all the Sponsions made by them when they were ordained Priests are to be considered as still binding since the Inferiour Office does still subsist in the Superiour so there are new ones superadded proportioned to the exaltation of Dignity and Authority that accompanies that Office In the Roman Pontifical there are indeed questions put to a Bishop before he is Consecrated but of all these the first only is that which has any relation to his Flock which is in these words Wilt thou teach the people over whom thou art to be set both by thy Example and Doctrine those things that thou learnst out of the Holy Scripture All the rest are general and relate only to his Conversation but not at all to his Labours in his Diocess Whereas on the contrary the engagements in our Office do regard not only a Bishop's own Conversation but chiefly his Duty to his People he declares that he is determined to instruct the People committed to his Charge out of the Holy Scriptures That he will study them so as to be able by them to teach and exhort with wholsome Doctrine and withstand and convince the Gain-sayers That he will be ready with all faithful Diligence to banish and drive away all erroneous and strange Doctrine contrary to God's word And both privately and openly to call upon and encourage others to the same That he will maintain and set forward as much as lies in him quietness love and peace among all Men and correct and punish such as be unquiet disobedient and criminous within his Diocess According to such Authority as he has In particular He promises to be Faithful in ordaining sending or laying Hands upon others He promises also to shew himself to be gentle and merciful for Christ's sake to poor and needy People and to all Strangers destitute of Help These are the Covenants and Promises under which Bishops are put which are again reinforced upon them in the Charge that is given immediately after their Consecration when the Bible is put
of the King of kings that has committed it to us and of labouring with all possible diligence to effectuate the great Design on which we are sent The reconciling Sinners to God The Work having in it self a proportion to the Dignity of him that imploys us in it Another and yet a more Glorious Title is that of Angels who as they are of a pure and sublime Nature and are called a Flaming Fire so they do always behold the face of our Heavenly Father and ever do his will and are also Ministring Spirits sent forth to minister to them that are appointed to be the Heirs of Salvation This Title is given to Bishops and Pastors and as if that were not enough they are in one place called not only the Messengers or Angels of the Churches but also the Glory of Christ. The Natural Importance of this is that men to whom this Title is applied ought to imitate those Heavenly Powers in the elevation of their Souls to contemplate the Works and Glory of God and in their constant doing his will more particularly in ministring to the Souls of those for whom the great Angel of the Covenant made himself a Sacrifice I do not among these Titles reckon those of Rulers or Governours that are also given to Bishops because they seem to be but another Name for Bishops whose Inspection was a Rule and Government and so carried in its signification both Authority and Labour To these Designations that carry in them Characters of Honour but of Honour joyned to Labour and for the sake of which the Honour was due according to that esteem them very highly for their works sake I shall add some other Designations that in their significations carry only Labour without Honour being borrowed from Labours that are hard but no way Honourable They are often called Watchmen who used to stand on high Towers and were to give the Alarm as they saw occasion for it These Men were obliged to a constant attendance to watch in the Night as well as in the Day So all this being applied to the Clergy imports that they ought to be upon their Watch-Tower observing what Dangers their People are exposed to either by their Sins which provoke the Judgments of God or by the Designs of their Enemies they ought not by a false respect suffer them to sleep and perish in their Sins but must denounce the Judgments of God to them and rather incur their displeasure by their freedom than suffer them to perish in their Security St. Paul does also call Church-men by the Name of Builders and gives to the Apostles the Title of Master-builders this imports both hard and painful Labour and likewise great care and exactness in it for want of which the Building will be not only exposed to the injuries of Weather but will quickly tumble down and it gives us to understand that those who carry this Title ought to study well the Great Rule by which they must carry on the Interest of Religion that so they may build up their people in their most holy Faith so as to be a Building fitly framed together They are also called Labourers in God's Husbandry Labourers in his Vineyard and Harvest who are to sow plant and water and to cultivate the Soil of the Church This imports a continual return of daily and hard Labour which requires both Pain and Diligence They are also called Soldiers men that did war and fight against the Powers of Darkness The Fatigue the Dangers and Difficulties of that State of Liâ—e arâ— so well understood that no Application is necessary to make them more sensible And thus by a particular enumeration of eiâ—her the more special names of these Oâ—â—â—ces such as Deacon Priest and Bishop Rulâ—r and Governour or of the designaâ—ions given to them of Shepherds or Pastors Stewards Ambassadors and Angels it appears that there is a great Dignity belonging to them but a Dignity which must carry labour with it as that for which the honour is due The other Titles of Watchmen Builders Labourers and Soldiers import also that they are to decline no part of their duty for the labour that is in it the dangers that may follow or the seeming meanness that may be in it since we have for this so great a Rule and Pattern set us by our Saviour who has given us this Character of himself and in that a Rule to all that pretend to come after him The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister This was said upon the proud Contentions that had been among his Disciples who should be the greatest two of them presuming upon their near relation to him and pretending to the first Dignity in his Kingdom upon that he gave them to understand That the Dignities of his Kingdom were not to be of the same nature with those that were in the World It was not Rule or Empire to which they were to pretend The Disciple was not to be above his Lord And he that humbled himself to be the last and lowest in his Service was by so doing really the first He himself descended â—o the washing his Disciples feet which 〈◊〉 proposeth to their imitation and that came in latter Ages to be taken up by Princes and acted by them in pageantry But the plain account of that Action is That it was a Prophetical Emblem of which sort we find several Instances both in Isaiah Ieremy and Ezekiel the Prophet doing somewhat that had a mystical signification in it relating to the Subject of his Prophecy So that our Saviour's washing the feet of his Disciples imported the Humility and the descending to the meanest Offices of Charity which he recommended to his Followers particularly to those whom he appointed to preach his Gospel to the World CHAP. II. Of the Rules set down in Scripture for those that minister in Holy things and of the Corruptions that are set forth in them I Intend to write with all possible simplicity without the affectations of a strictness of Method and therefore I will give one full view of this whole matter without any other order than as it lies in the Scriptures and will lay both the Rules and the Reproofs that are in them together as things that give light to one another In the Law of Mâ—ses we find many very particular Rules given for the washing and consecration of the Priests and Levites chiefly of the Holy Priest The whole Tribe of Levi was sanctified and separated from the common Labours either of War or Tillage and tho they were but one in twelve yet a tenth of all was appointed for them they were also to have a large share of another tenth that so they might be not only delivered from all cares by that large provision that was made for them but might be able to relieve the necessities of the Widows and Fatherless the Poor and the Strangers that sojourned
Religion by making a medly of it and Iudaisme might have no evil thing to say of him and after a glorious but short Abstract of the design of their holy Religion he concludes that part of the Epistle in these words These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority to which he adds a Charge that may seem more proper to be addressed to others then to himself let no man despise thee The same is likewise in his Epistle to Timothy with this Addition let no man despise thy youth but these words do import that it is in a Bishop's own Power to procure due Esteem to himself at least to prevent contempt since a holy and exemplary Deportment and faithful and constant labours never fail to do that In the Conclusion of the Epistle to the Hebrews we find both the Characters of those who had laboured among them and had ruled them but who were then dead and also of such as were yet alive Remember them who had the rule over you who have spoken to you the Word of God whose Faith follow considering the end of their conversation they had both lived and died as well as laboured in such a manner that the Remembring of what had appeared in them was an effectual means of perswading the Hebrews to be steady in the Christian Religion for certainly though while a man lives let him be ever so eminent there is still room for ill-nature and jealousie to misrepresent things and to suspect that something lies hid under the fairest appearances which may shew it self in due time all that goes off when one has finished his course so that all appears to be of a piece and that he has died as he had lived Then the Argument from his conversation appears in its full strength without any diminution But the charge given with relation to those who then had the rule over them is no less remarkable Obeâ— them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls as they that must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for you Here Obedience and Submission is enjoyned upon the account of their Rulers watching over them and for them and therefore those who do not watch like Men that know that they must give account of that Trust have no reason to expect these from their People Of a piece with this is St. Pauls charge to the Thessalonians we beseech you to know or to acknowledge them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love for their works sake Here both the Submission and Esteem as well as the acknowledgment that is due to the Clergy is said to be for their works sake And therefore such as do not the work and that do not labour and admonish their People have no just claim to them There is another expression in the 2 d Epistle to the Thessalonians that is much urged by those who have writ on this Head That if any will not work he should not eat which if it is a Rule binding all Men seems to lie much heavier on the Clergy I shall conclude all that I intend to bring out of the Scripture upon this Argument with St. Peter's charge to the Elders of the Churches to which he writ which is indeed so full that though in the Course of the New Testament it had not lain last it deserved by the Rules of Method to be kept last for the closing and enforcing all that has gone before and for giving it its full weight St. Peter descends 1 Epistle 5 ch 1 ver to a level with them calling himself no better than a fellow Elder and a Witness of the suffering of Christ And also a Partaker of the Glory which was to be revealed Feed the Flock of God says he which is among you these words will bear another rendring as much as lieth in you taking the oversight thereof not by constraint as forced to it by Rules Canons or Laws but willingly not for filthy â—ucre for though God has ordained that such as preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel yet those who propose that to themselves as the chief Motive in entring into Holy Orders are hereby severely condemned but of a ready mind neither as being Lords over God's Heritage or not using a despotick Authority over their several lots or divisions but being examples to the Flock not tyrannizing it over their People But acquiring their Authority chiefly by their own exemplary conversation The conclusion of the Charge is suitable to the solemnity of it in these words And when the Chief Shepherd shall appear ye shall likewise receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away With this I make an end of Citations from Scripture I think it is as plain as words can make any thing that such as are dedicated to the service of God and of his Church ought to labour constantly and faithfully And that in their own Persons For it is not possible to express a personal Obligation in terms that are both more strict and more solemn then these are which have been cited and all the returns of obedience and submission of esteem and support being declared to be due to them on the account of their watching over and feeding the Flock of God those who pretend to these without considering themselves as under the other Obligations are guilty of the worst sort of Sacriledge in devouring the things that are Sacred without doing those duties for which these are due and what right soever the Law of the Land may give them to them yet certainly according to the Divine Law those who do not wait at the Altar ought not to be partakers with the Altar Those who do not minister about holy things ought not to live of the things of the Temple Nor ought those who do not preach the Gospel live of the Gospel If I had a mind to make a great shew of reading or to Triumph in my Argument with the Pomp of Quotations it were very easie to bring a Cloud of Witnesses to confirm the Application that I have made of these passages of Scripture Indeed all those who have either writ Commentaries on the Scriptures ancient and modern or have left Homilies on these subjects have pressed this matter so much that every one that has made any progress in Ecclesiastical learning must know that one might soon stuff a great many Pages with abundance of Quotations out of the Authors both of the best and of the worst Ages of the Church not only the Fathers but even the Schoolmen and which is more the Canonist have carried this matter very high and have even delivered it as a Maxime that all dispensations that are procured upon undue Pretences the chief of which they reckon the giving a Man an easie and large subsistence are null
Merit had been advanced to it had brought it under Reproach There had been no due care used in the choice of Bishops and by the means of bad choices the Church was almost ruined through the gross Ignorance and Unworthiness of many in that Post. Certainly a worthy Priest has no ambitious aspirings Those who fly to this Dignity from that base Principle will give a full vent to it when they have attained it If Submissions Flatteries and Money it self are necessary all will be employed Therefore it was an indispensable Preparation to it that one should be duly sensible of the greatness of the Trust and of his own Unfitness for it that so he might neither vehemently desire it nor be uneasie if he should happen to be turned out of it A Man may desire the Office of a Bishop when he considers it as a VVork of toyl and labour but nothing is more pestiferous than to desire it because of the Power and Authority that accompanies it Such Persons can never have the Courage that ought to shew it self in the Discharge of their Duty in the reproving of Sin and venturing on the Indignation of great Men he confesses he had not yet been able to free his Mind from that Disease and till he had subdued it he judged himself bound to fly from all the steps to Preferment for the nearer he should come to it he reckoned the appetite to it would rage the higher within him whereas the way to break it quite was to keep himself at the greatest distance from it nor had he that vivacity or lively activity of temper which became this Function nor that softness and gentleness of mind that was necessary to prepare him to bear injuries to endure contempt or to treat People with the mildness that Christ has enjoined his followers which he thought more necessary to a Bishop than all Fastings or bodily Mortifications whatsoever And he runs out into a long Digression upon the great Mischiefs that a fretful and spiteful temper did to him that was under the power of it and to the Church when a Bishop was soured with it It will often break out it will be much observed and will give great scandal For as a little Smoke will darken and hide the clearest Object so if all the rest of a Bishop's Life were brighter than the Beams of the Sun a little Blemish a Passion or Indiscretion will darken all and make all the rest be forgotten Allowances are not made to them as to other Men the VVorld expects great things from them as if they had not Flesh and Blood in them not a Humane but an Angelical nature therefore a Bishop ought by a constant watchfulness and a perpetual strictness to be armed with Armour of Proof of all sides that no wound may hurt him Stories will be easily believed to his disadvantage and his Clergy about him will be ready to find them out and to spread them abroad He laies this down for a certain Maxim That every man knows himself best and therefore whatsoever others might think of him he who knew well that he had not in himself those qualifications that were necessary for this Function ought not to suffer himself to be determined by that After this he lays open the great Disorders Factions Partialities and Calumnies with which the Popular Elections were at that time managed and the general Corruption that had over-run the whole Church so that the Strictness and Authority the Gentleness and Prudence the Courage and Patience that were necessary to a Bishop were very hard to be found all together He instances to make out the difficulty of discharging the duty of a Bishop in that single point of managing the Widows who were so medling so immoral so factious and so clamorous that this alone was enough to imploy a Bishop's prudence and to exercise his patience from that and another Article relating to it concerning the Virgins he goes to consider the Trouble the Difficulties and Censures that Bishops were subject to by the hearing of Causes that were referred to them Many pretending they were wronged by their Judgments made shipwrack of the Faith in revenge and they pressed so hard upon the Bishops time that it was not possible for him to content them and discharge the other parts of his Duty Then he reckons up the many Visits that were expected from Bishops the several Civilities they were obliged to which it was hard to manage so as not to be either too much or too little in them Matter of censure would be found in both extreams Then he reflects on the great temper that ought to be observed in the final sentence of Excommunication between a gentleness to Vice on the one hand and the driving men to Despair and Apostasie on the other And he concludes that Book with Reflections on the vast Burthen that follows the care of Souls In his 4th Book he runs through a variety of Arts and Professions and shews how much skill and labour was necessary for every one of them from whence he concludes strongly that much more was necessary for that which was the most important of all others so that no consideration whatsoever should make a man undertake it if he did not find himself in some sort qualified for it more particularly he ought to be ready to give an account of his Faith and to stop the mouths of all gainsaiers Iews Gentiles and Hereticks in which the Ignorance of many Bishops carrying things from one extream to another had given great occasion to Errours A Bishop must understand the stile and phrase of the Scriptures well From this he runs out into a very Noble Panegyrick upon St. Paul in whom a pattern was set to all Bishops His 5th Book sets out the labour of preaching the tentations to Vanity in it the censures that were apt to be made if there was either too much or too little Art or Eloquence in Sermons to this he adds the great exactness that a Bishop should use in preserving his Reputation yet without Vanity observing a due temper between despising the censures of theMultitude and the servile courting of applauses In his Sermons he ought above all things to study to edifie but not to Flatter his Hearers or to use vain arts to raise esteem or admiration from them Since a Bishop whose mind was not purged from this disease must go through many tossings and be much disquieted and upon that he runs out so fully upon the tentations to desire applause for Eloquence and a readiness in speaking that it plainly appears that he felt that to be his own weak side The 6th Book is chiefly imployed to shew how much a harder thing it was to govern the Church than to live in a Desart under the severest mortifications I will go no further in this abstract I hope I have drawn out enough to give a Curiosity to such as have not yet read those Excellent Books to do it